Westchester Action Plan, 2008 - Westchester County Government

Currently, the wastewater treatment facilities in Westchester experience significant
increases in flow during wet weather events, indicating that a significant quantity of
stormwater is entering the system, even though the County Government has completed an
exhaustive program that upgraded county-owned sewer lines and eliminated stormwater
inflow and infiltration (I/I) into county lines. Since the I/I issue still exists, the likely
sources of I/I are the municipal lines that feed into the county lines.
Water Supply: Westchester is fortunate to have abundant sources of fresh water. Croton
and Kensico Reservoirs and their associated watersheds are located within the county.
These reservoirs and those upstate provide potable water to New York City and
communities within Westchester. More than 85% of Westchester’s residents obtain their
drinking water from New York City sources, much of it brought by gravity from upstate
New York. However, the distribution and delivery of that water to the users require
significant energy, but far less than the delivery of bottled water.
Strategy for a Sustainable Future
To better manage water resources and impacts of global warming, the Community of
Westchester must find ways to:
1) Mitigate flooding consequences
associated with global warming.
2) Adapt to rising water levels.
3) Protect and preserve drinking
water reservoirs and watersheds.
4) Conserve drinking water.
Mitigation – taking actions aimed
at reducing or minimizing.
Adaptation – taking actions to
lessen civilization's vulnerabilities
to negative effects.
All sectors – households, schools, businesses and municipal and county governments – can
undertake actions to support these goals.
Stormwater Management and Watershed Protection
Improve stormwater management regionally. Stormwater management will
increasingly become a challenge as storm events become more intense as a result of
climate change. This will be exacerbated if inappropriate development in Westchester
increases runoff. Because stormwater runoff generated in one community can result in
flooding and water quality impacts in another community and because the drinking water
reservoirs cross communities, the Task Force recommends a regional approach be
developed in partnership with Westchester County Government and the
municipalities.
Attachment 8: Water Resources
Westchester Action Plan, 2008 8-2